Home / Environment / Circus Chimp Finds New Home in Edinburgh Zoo
Circus Chimp Finds New Home in Edinburgh Zoo
24 Jan
Summary
- Babsie, a 33-year-old chimpanzee, was rescued from a German circus.
- She arrived at Edinburgh Zoo in November 2025 after European rescue.
- RZSS marks 20 years of chimpanzee conservation in Uganda.
A 33-year-old Eastern chimpanzee named Babsie has begun a new life at Edinburgh Zoo, having been rescued from a German circus.
She was saved by the AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection charity and arrived at the Scottish zoo in November 2025. Babsie has reportedly already endeared herself to keepers and is beginning to form bonds with other female chimpanzees.
Introducing Babsie to the existing troop involved a careful process of visual meetings and one-to-one encounters, respecting the primates' territorial nature and social hierarchies. She now resides in the zoo's Budongo Trail habitat, which features an extensive outdoor area and indoor pods mimicking African forest conditions.
Babsie's arrival coincides with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) celebrating two decades of work in Uganda aimed at protecting chimpanzees. The RZSS has partnered with the Budongo Conservation Field Station since 2005, conducting research and conservation efforts to combat the decline of wild chimp populations due to habitat loss, poaching, and disease.
